In April, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez gave his assurances that Madrid had not concluded a single buy or sell arms operation with Israel since October 2023.
Despite that, Spain has contracted Israeli companies to supply such weapons as high mobility missile system (SILAM) for €576.4 million, 168 Spike launchers for €237.5 million and target designators for air combat systems for €207.4 million, the research found.
"An important part of the defence equipment with Israeli patent is manufactured in Spain by subsidiaries of Israeli companies or other companies producing through technology transfer agreement from the Israeli companies. Spain continued allocating contracts to Israeli military companies and their subsidiaries in Spain, or other Spanish companies that produce Israeli products under technology transfer agreement," the Delas Center explained.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel and breached the border, attacking both civilian neighborhoods and military bases. Nearly 1,200 people in Israel were killed and some 240 others abducted during the attack. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. As many as 120 hostages are believed to be still held by Hamas in Gaza and 43 hostages died in captivity.
More than 38,200 people have been killed and over 88,000 others have been wounded in the Gaza Strip as a result of Israel's military operations, Gaza authorities said.